Some schools are barring recruiters from talking to students, Army secretary says

Army Secretary Mark Esper said on Friday that some schools "are not letting our recruiters in" to talk to students, and some school counselors "are not even presenting [the Army] as an opportunity, the chance to serve their country."

"It's considered the only path to success is college, and that there are no other paths," Esper said at a Center for Strategic and International Studies event. "I just think we need to do a better job across America and our school districts, our states, our cities, to present the American military as a great path for the future."

Esper told reporters at a Pentagon roundtable on January 24th that the campaign to recruit in those cities had been "positive so far." But he told reporters after the CSIS event that there's a "spectrum" of support found at schools around the country — some don't let recruiters in at all, some may let them in on "very restrictive purposes," and others are less restrictive.

Esper clarified that he wasn't necessarily referring to schools in those 22 cities that were resisting recruiters, and that he hasn't assessed where in the country this problem is most prominent.

But, he said, all schools "should allow recruiters in just like they let in colleges to come recruit. ... We should have equal access to America's youth."

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley had previously echoed the importance of expanding recruiting efforts on January 16th, telling reporters at an Association of the United States Army breakfast that around 50% of Army recruits "come from about 10 to 15% of American's high schools."

"We need to expand - and we're doing that this year – rapidly expand the footprint by which we are canvassing to get recruits to come into Army," he said.

After more than a decade of research and development and upwards of $500 million in funding, the Navy finally plans on testing its much-hyped electromagnetic railgun on a surface warship in a major milestone for the beleaguered weapons system, Navy documents reveal.

Just in time for many high school graduations, Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed into law a measure ensuring that seniors in the military may wear their dress uniforms instead of a cap and gown at their ceremonies.

DeSantis, a former Navy officer, approved SB 292 to become law upon his signature, which came Thursday.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Congress fell short ahead of Memorial Day weekend, failing to pass legislation that would provide tax relief for the families of military personnel killed during their service.

Senators unanimously approved a version of the bipartisan Gold Star Family Tax Relief Act Tuesday sending it back to the House of Representatives, where it was tied to a retirement savings bill as an amendment, and passed Thursday.

When it got back to the Senate, the larger piece of legislation failed to pass and make its way to the President Trump's desk.

Two airmen were administratively punished for drinking at the missile launch control center for 150 nuclear LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming, the Air Force confirmed to Task & Purpose on Friday.

Two F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters recently flew a mission in the Middle East in "beast mode," meaning they were loaded up with as much firepower as they could carry.

The F-35s with the 4th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron took off from Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates to execute a mission in support of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Air Forces Central Command revealed. The fifth-generation fighters sacrificed their high-end stealth to fly with a full loadout of weaponry on their wings.